Sybaris
by TheDarknessIsTheLight
Summary: Annabeth and Percy have to fight for what can only be called human rights, as those at camp decide to make a life threatening decision for the greater good.
1. Chapter 1

Sybaris – Chapter One

**Disclaimer: All rights go to Rick Riordan.**

What has come of this messed up world? They can't do this; this is beside them. We're not back in the old days. We're not in Ancient Greece. And the way he agreed so quickly; he was eager for his day in the sun. More like 3 seconds, if you ask me. But I have to honour him for that choice...that bravery.

The thing that scared me most what that I was the only one who didn't keep my mouth shut. If Percy had been there, he would have been on my side, that's why I had to get to him, fast. Oh, and the other reasons of course.

I got into the elevator, clicked the number and waited. All of a sudden I was really self conscious; patted down my hair, fixed my shirt and refolded the cuff on my jeans. But I still didn't think it was enough. Suddenly I wished I had stopped at that store where I'd seen the amazing jacket.

_Knock-knock-knock._ I stepped back, waiting for him to come to the door.

"Annabeth!" Percy said, pulling me inside. He hugged me.

"What? That's it?" I asked, tauntingly. He smiled, leaning in to kiss me. Suddenly I heard a scream, and he picked me up, carrying me behind the couch. But he was too late; I got hit right in the back of the head with a water balloon. I turned around, seething. There was a group of about 6 little boys at the door, and more were popping up from all around the apartment. _Are you serious?_

"WHAT THE–" I started to yell, but Percy pulled my shoulder back.

"Annabeth...breathe, breathe...okay, everyone out, continue at Brandon's or something..." Percy said pointing to the door.

The kid that must have been Brandon said, "Yeah, you heard him, my place, 'cause Percy needs to make out with his girlfriend!" With that, they all ran out.

"More like get beat up by his girlfriend..." Percy muttered.

"What was that?" I asked, holding my ear.

"Nothing...so...how was camp today?"

"You're mom's okay with water balloons inside? And why are you playing with 8 year olds?" I asked, ignoring his question, rubbing the back of my head.

"To be fair, they're 10...okay 9 and a half, but still," he said indignantly, grabbing me a towel from the linen closet. "So, seriously, how's camp?"

I shook my head slightly, not wanting to tell him just yet. The second I did this visit would get serious and that would be it. I wouldn't even get to kiss him, which reminded me...I leaned in and kissed him.

"That good, huh?" he asked, looking a little dumbfounded. I laughed as I walked over to the couch and sat down, finally relaxing after the horrible day's events. He sat next to me to, about to put his arm around me, but he seemed to inhale sharply. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him quickly shove a book away, to the table beside him.

"What is that?" I asked, trying to look to his right. He quickly kissed me, trying to make me forget it.

"Huh? What's what? Oh nothing..." he said, trying to kiss me again. Of course I let him, it had been too long. But when he pulled away I raised my eyebrow.

"Really, Percy?" I asked. He shrugged, and leaned in again, so I decided to use it to my advantage. I kissed him, and pretended to climb onto him, but I was really trying to reach the table. And I was successful.

"_Why Architecture Matters_ by Paul Goldberger." I looked up at him. This book had taken me weeks to read, but I loved it very much as it looked more to the emotional meaning of architecture and not just the design process. It made me realize why I really loved it, and why it made an impression on people. "Why are you reading this?"

He looked at me right in the eye, really intensely for Percy, "Do you have to ask?" I nodded, mainly because I wanted to hear what he would say. "It reminds me of you, Annabeth. It has been 2 weeks."

"I know, Percy. I missed you." I knew he was being truthful with this, which was the funny thing. Yet it was so adorable, it made me wonder how I'd gotten through the past 2 weeks. We literally sat there and talked and talked. But the more I did, the more nervous I got at the fact that before I left he I would have to tell him what I came here to tell him.

He got up when we heard a commotion outside. "Your friends?" I asked sweetly.

He gave me a look, but when he opened his door, it wasn't the kids. It was Jim, from Apollo cabin at camp. The one I had to tell Percy about. He was about 12, but tears were openly pouring down him eyes. Percy must have recognized him, because he let him in right away. I got up and lead him to the seat, gripping him arm. But I couldn't take it. I got up and started pacing.


	2. Chapter 2

Sybaris – Chapter Two

**Disclaimer:** **All rights go to Rick Riordan; I do not own Percy Jackson or related characters, places, etc.**

"Annabeth, tell me!" Percy said, pleadingly, almost whining. I would have told him, but I couldn't get the words to form in my mouth just yet. My mind was analyzing everything. It was these moments where I wondered if I had something worse than ADHD.

"Annabeth," Percy started to say. I ignored him and kept pacing. Jim was still sitting there crying. I couldn't believe he would have followed me. I expected he had come to see Percy. Funny, we both thought of the same person.

But I didn't have time to think of my 'competition', only one thing was on my mind. How I was going to get this kid out of this situation.

"Annabeth, you better tell me! Or else..." he trailed off. I almost grinned. An empty threat from Percy. Shocker.

"Annabeth! Annabeth, stop pacing!" he wasn't yelling, but I think the site of me pacing intensely and a kid crying his eyes out was enough to make him slightly hysterical. He grabbed my shoulders, making me stop and look at him.

"Percy...he's going to die." There, I said it. Not as nicely or even as considerately as I had wanted to. I realized the bad effect of these words when I heard a slight choking sound come out of Jim's throat. "Well you asked for it!" I snapped at him.

"Whoa, calm down, the poor kid is crying," Percy said, "And who asks to die, except for me a certain occasions." The way he said it, it seemed so literal. That's when I realized that he didn't understand what I meant.

"Percy, he volunteered for human sacrifice." I sat down far away from Percy and Jim.

"Whoa, whoa, human sacrifice? Isn't that a little farfetched for the 21st century?" he asked.

"Well, we would hope so. But Chiron insists that there's no other option, or Sybaris will not be pleased."

"Sybaris?" he asked.

For the first time, Jim spoke up, "Yeah, it's been terrorizing the camp and other surrounding places. He got two satyrs, and almost had a naiad, but she escaped. That's how we figured it out."

"Well, I mean, what happened the last time it was terrorizing a place?" Percy asked, sitting next to me.

"It was originally in Delphi, the city. So the Oracle of Delphi said the only way to please it was by offering a human sacrifice." I could tell Percy didn't like this story, but it was only because of the fact that it was happening right now. In camp. To us.

"What? That's insane! And now Chiron thinks he can just satisfy it by killing off the campers? Well what happens when it's hungry again?" Percy said, his voice was really shaky now. It was strange because over the years he had developed the ability to laugh in the face of terror to hide that he was terrified.

"Exactly, who would be next?" I said, quietly, understanding what Percy was getting at.

"If it was you..." he started, "Or Grover, or...you..."

"Percy, don't think like that. We'll beat it. We have to."

We both stood up, in the understood agreement that even though we had no plan, we would fight. In the background, I heard Jim stop crying. We had given him hope. I had to believe that it wouldn't all come crashing down again.


	3. Chapter 3

Sybaris – Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:** **All rights go to Rick Riordan and Disney Hyperion.**

I don't know how we all managed to get there so fast, or how all that chaos could have happened in the short time between me leaving camp to go to Percy's and getting back. But either way, it was a mess.

Sybaris had attacked again, but this time the frantic head counting wasn't the only thing happening. Apparently while trying to fight it, random fires had erupted as well as various injuries. I grabbed Jim and Percy at the same time.

"This is too much. They're going to do it now," I said. Fortunately, Percy has been thinking along the same lines. He dragged Jim to the Poseidon cabin, and stuffed him in the closet, leaving the door open so he could breathe. But being a true son of Apollo, he spoke up.

"I don't want to be a coward; I'm not hiding in here while my friends die out there."

"You'll stay in here as long as we're trying to save your life!" I snapped at him. _Ungrateful._

"Annabeth, go try to get the other cabins to help us," Percy said. It was a pretty obvious way of getting rid of me, but I knew he meant well.

As I left, I heard him say, "Everything's settled down anyways. Just hide in here so Chiron doesn't try to end things too fast."

As I rushed out of the cabin and ran back to the war zone, I could tell Percy's words would easily be considered lies. People in tears, frantic searching, blood, fire, smoke, but I still saw Chiron in the midst of it all.

"Annabeth, this has gone too far. We've lost 3 campers and a naiad. Aphrodite, Ares and Hephaestus."

"What's with the fire? Sybaris couldn't have done this," I said, trying to drown out the heart wrenching cried of desperate searching, those people who refused to accept it. I couldn't blame them. I imagined I'd be much the same, if not worse.

Chiron shook his head, "No, no, the Ares campers lead a full scale attack with the catapult. Whoever it was greatly misjudged the target. And how fast it can move." I almost shuddered. _How are Percy and I going to beat this thing?_

"Annabeth!" I turned around, just in time to catch Percy motioning me to the cabins, before he got crowded with others. I turned away from Chiron, but he stopped me.

"You haven't happened to seen Jim, have you?" he asked. There was an odd twinkle in his eyes. He knew I was lying. I mean, if he couldn't tell I was, then who in this world would be able to. I shook my head quickly, turning away again. "You're a good child, Annabeth. But sometimes it must be done."

I ran. I couldn't imagine my mentor, the closest thing I had to a father doing something like this.

I went to Percy and saw that all the campers were pleading with each other, some beggings other not to fight anymore. Others saying it was over. Others refusing to quit to the end. Then, the odd few, accusing Percy of hiding Jim.

"HEY!" I screamed, "You guys don't get it! First Jim, but then it'll be one of us! We have to beat the thing now!"

"She's right. Now who's going to help us?" he asked, firmly, clearly not taking no for an answer.

The Apollo cabin was the first to set up. Quickly followed by those that had lost a cabin mate, and other cabins joined after. Only those who had lost friends, or boyfriends and girlfriends stayed back, still hoping Jim would be a good replacement for who they'd lost. _Cowards._

We devised a plan, sure to be approved by Athena. But the second I had that thought, I realized something. We weren't even sure where to find it or when it would come next, and since we'd have to do it all in secret, covering all the usual locations wouldn't be easy. Someone from Ares made the argument that it would seem like we were just defending. But Chiron had just ordered everyone to stay in cabins until the sacrifice. Clever, since this also forced whoever hid Jim to release him, just to be able to step into fresh air again.

Jim stepped forward, finally stepping out of the closet. "I can solve both of your problems." The second he said it, I knew what he was thinking. _Bait_. I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, but the others still didn't follow.

"What?" they said in a chorus.

"Use me as bait. That way, Chiron lets you 'defend' and we attract Sybaris." I quickly realized that all this usage of its name was surely going to attract it sooner or later, but his plan helped with the defence.

And there was our plan. We got Jim to Chiron and everything was in motion. But Chiron still didn't let anyone defend. This limited options but we had to improvise with Jim's life on the line. We hid out of his line of sight, and waited.

I saw it in the distance. Almost like a dracaena, Sybaris had a cold, eerie look of beauty. But she was lethal, from the way she towered over the ground, the blood dripping from her mouth. There seemed to be a blue light on her, while the rest of us stood hidden in the darkness.

I realized Chiron would stop us the second we made a move, maybe even pushing Jim closer. I didn't know what to have expected from his at that point. I noticed an owl in the tree in front of me. "Mom..." I whispered. She seemed to wink at me, before she took off him flight, momentarily blinding Chiron, by attacking him. "NOW!" I yelled.

"ATTACK!" Percy yelled, somewhere to my left.

And they did. They all fought to the death, never underestimating this opponent. Not forgetting her speed this time, or even her mysterious powers, hard to battle.

Percy and I took the killing lash, his sword slicing her stomach, while by bronze knife quickly ended her pain. She disintegrated to ash, and sank into the ground, back to Tartarus.

I looked around assessing the damage. Chiron lay in a heap, being tended to by Jim, who looked concerned, all the same, but relieved. No casualties that I could count, and all around people were cheering. Percy comes up to me, picks me up and spins me around.

"Best team I know, " he said, pulling me down to kiss me.


End file.
